Sheet metal container



1 E. SCHMIDT 1,869511 SHEET METAL CONTAINER Filed Nov. 50, 1929 Patented Aug. 2, 1932 UNITED STATES Emrsrscmvrm'r, 0E BERLIN, GERMANY SHEET METAL CONTAINER -App1ication filed November 30, 1928, Serial No. 410,814, and in Germany December 14, 1928.

The present invention relates to boxes, con tainers, etc., made of sheet metal, which for the sake of better comprehension will be re.- ferred to in the following under the general heading of cans.

More particularly the invention deals with a can having a detachable lid or top, wherein the edge of the lid is of U-shaped crosssection.

According to the invention, the placing of the lid on the top of the can causes a hollow space to be closed, and when forcing the lid into the opening or neck of the can this space is reduced in size in such manner that a compressed air cushion is formed between the neck and the edge of the lid.

The known cans, and more articularly those employed for storing 011-, gasolene, petrol and other liquids, disclose the disadvantage that even in the case of proper sealing these liquids have the tendency to creep between the sealed faces towards the outside and accumulate on the exterior of the can. This creeping action on the part of the liquid is, according to the invention, avoided by the provision of an air cushion in the manner referred to above, the pressure of theair acting as a bar to the said creeping action or preventing the liquid from exuding between the sealed faces.

The invention will now be described more fully withreference to the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a section through one form of embodiment showing the neck of the can with the lid removed. I

Fig. 2 is a section on enlarged scale of the form of embodiment according to Fig. 1, with the-lid in position.

Referring now to the drawing, 1 is the can proper having a reduced neck'portion fitted or secured in suitable manner. The connection between these two parts will preferably be performed by folding the edges.- The.- formed neck thus provides an inner upstanding sealing flange "12, an outer concentric sealing flange 13, and a bridge 14 connecting the upper edge of the sealing flange 13 with the lower edge of the sealing flange 12. The lid 3 possesses an edge portion of U-shaped or channel-like cross-section, the inwardly direct part of the U being designated by 4 and the outwardly directed part by 5. The free edge of the lid is turned orrolled over at 6 in order to be able to readily remove'the lid from the can and to avoid sharp edges. The dotted lines 7 and 8 in Fig. 1 show that upon applying the lid 3 to the neck 2 inthe direction of the arrow P the outer part of the section 4 is in alignment with the inner face 9 of the neck, while the inner part of the section 5 aligns with the outer face 10 of the sealingflange 13. The lid 3 as fitted into position is shown in Fig. 2. The lid 3 thus presents an inverted U-shaped channel closed at the top and open at the bottom, the outer wall 5' of which is of greater length than the inner wall 4. Vhen the lid is initiallyapplied, the low er edge of the wall 4 of the channel of the lid has sealing engagement with the inner sur face of the flange 12 at the upper edge of the latter, while approximately at the same time the lower edge of the outer wall 5 of the channel of the lid has sealing engagement with the upper edge of theflange 13 of the neck. With the-lid in this relation, there is defined a space 11 which is entirely closed, being closed on the inner side by the wall 4 and sealin g flange 12, on the outer sideby'the wall 5 and sealing flange 13, at the bottom by the section 14, and at the top by the top wall of the inverted U-shaped channel in the lid. As the lid is initially applied and the sealing described is efiected, the body of air contained in this chamber 11 is trapped and cannot escape. v

It is, of course, understood that the lid 3 is moved to a. final position in which the upper edge of the sealing flange 12 engages the top of the U-shaped channel in the lid enuntil the parts assume the position shown in -Figure 2.- As the lid is moved to this position after the initial sealing engagement described, the space 11 is continually reduced in area, and as the initially trapped body ofair therein cannot escape, itis apparent that such air is put under increasing pressure as the lid is moved to its final position. Therefore, the body of air in the chamber 11 is, when the lid is in final position, in the form of a compressed air cushion which, of course, serves to effectively prevent any creeping action on the part of the liquid contained in the can. It will be seen from the drawing that when the lid is placed in position over the neck the air chamber is gradually reduced in size, so that when the lid has been forced wholly into position a compressed air cushion is formed which, as set forth above, prevents any creeping action on the part of the liquid contained in the can. 1

, It will be understood that no restriction is made to the particular form of embodiment illustrated in the drawing, which is merely quoted by way of example, and that numerous modifications are possible within the meaning of the above and the appended claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

W hat I claim as new Letters Patent is:'

l. A can having a neck formed to present concentric, vertically and horizontally offset and desire to secure by sealing flanges and a lid having an inverted U-shaped edge channel closed at the top and open at the bottom, the walls of the channel being designed to sealingly cooperate with the sealing flanges of the neck in the initial application of the lid and to continue this sealing cooperation in the movement of the lid to final closing position, the relation of the sealing flanges of the neck and the channel in the lid providing an annular air chamher in the initial sealing cooperation of the lid and neck in which the air is trapped by such sealing cooperation, the area of such chamber being gradually reduced as the lid is moved to final position to thereby compress the air trapped in said chamber to provide a compressed air cushion surrounding the neck of the can and in the path of leakage from the can.

2. A can having a neck defining outer and inner concentric sealing flanges and an imperfect connection between the upper edge of the outer sealing flange and the lower edge of the inner sealing flange, and a lid having an inverted annular channel closed at the top and open at the bottom, the walls of the channel being spaced apart coincident with the.

spacing between the outer surface of the lower sealing flange and the inner surface of the inner sealing flange, whereby in the initial application of the lid the air'is trapped in the U-shaped channel of the lid and compressed therein as the lid is moved to a final osition.

In testimony whereof I have a xed my signature.

ERNST SCHMIDT. 

